Fruit-assorting machine.



` F. W. DUSTAN.v FRU'IT AssoRTlNG MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED FEB. 3. 1915 j@ Patented Jan, 18, um.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. W. DUSTAN.

FRUIT ASSORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FB.3,1915.

1,169,01 9. Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. W. DUSTAN.

FRUIT ASSRTLNG wiAC'HNiE APPUCATIQN min FEB. s, 1915.

l 9 6g@ l 9 Patented Jan. l, 1916.

a W Ma/My FREDERICK W. DUSTAN, F CLABKSTON, WASHINGTON.

FBUIT-ASSBTING MACHINE.

mesme.

Application led February 3. 181e.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Funerarios lV. DUS- 'rAN, citizen of the United States of America, residing at Clarkston, in the county of Asotin and State of `Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Assortinv Machines; and I do hereby declare the fol owing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in fruit asserting machines and an object of the invention is to provide an economical and simple machine for rapidly asserting fruit of different weights.

Other objects of the invention are to rovide a machine in the use of which no uit will be lost, and wherein a maximum part of the time available is devoted to asserting.

The invention consists broadly in a conveyer including a belt, a chute, and a guide, and means for deliveringr the fruit piece by piece through the guide; a depositor beneath the guide consisting of a cup made in two halves, and means For opening the halves at intervals; a dropper including a rotariy table carrying a num er of buckets ivotal y supported on the outer ends of roc levers whose inner ends are held down by beams and sliding weights which are moved automatically by means of cams as the table rotates, so that from time to time )ieces of fruit of different weight may be dropped by the buckets; and a dumpin" mechanism consistinf of a stop on the tablb supporting one end o each bucket and a skid over which the other end of the bucket rides at a time when it reaches the fruit from the depositor, these devices preventing the tiltingr of the bucket by the impact of the falling piece of fruit but permitting it when the proper time arrives and the inner arm of the rock lever is relieved from its weight.

ln carrying out this broad principle, the invention resldes in the combination and arrangements of parts described and hereinafter claimed.

In the accom anying drawings, wherein but one form o the invention is disclosed, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine, Fig. 9 is a side elevation, the asserting meinber being shown in section, Fig. 3 is atop plan view of a fruit depositor such as may usedd in the present invention, shown in Specification of Letters stent.

remates aan. ie, raie.

Serial No. 5,965.

closed position, Fig. 4 shows the depositor in open position, and the relative position of the fruit droppcr together with the delivery chute, Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of one end of the asserting member, certain parts of the invention being shown in section, Fig. 6 is a detail showing a beam such as is used in the disclosed machine, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a ring used in the disclosed machine for supporting the outer end of the beam, and, Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the ring supporting the inner end of the beam.

n the fruit packing industry there is need for a simple machine which will sort out the diierent sizes of fruit so that pieces of fruit of the same size may be packed together to give a uniform appearance. The present invention aims to accomplish this result by providing a machine for separating the fruit according to weight. This is done by employing a lever, one end of which supports the fruit carryinor bucket while the other end is acted' upon by a pressure which varies, so that at times prior to sorting this pressure overcomes the weight of the fruit and at other times (at the moment of sorting) the fruit overbalances the pressure. There are various ways in which this principle can be employed for sorting fruit, and I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction disclosed in the drawings. The machine comprises a supportin(r frame, 10, upon which is journaled a shui?, 11, carrying pulley, 12, about which moves a fruit conveyor elt,13. For the resent invention it is immaterial how the elt or pulley is driven. Because of the nature of my assorting machine, it is desirable to deliver thereto one piece of fruit at a time, and to accomplish this there is an auxiliary strip of leather, canvas or other material, 14, riveted, or otherwise secured to belt, 13, so as to form separators, 15, each of which delivers one piece of fruit. Placed in juxtaposition to the pulley, 12, is a chute, 16, having the floor cut away as at 17 to receive the separators, 15, which pass between the parallel sides of the chute. Secured to the chute is a cylindrical ffuide, 18` the bottom of which may be tapered as at 19, te prevent bruising of the fruit. It is found, however, that the fruit, being of diiierent sizes, will roll unevenly down the chute, 16, and in order to insure a positive and eriodic delivery of the fruit, there is provi ed a depositor designated generally at 20, and shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. Depending from the frame is a support, 2l, having a horizontal extension, 22, from which upstand spaced trunnions, 23 and 24, respectively, and about which turn mutilated, meshing gears 25 and 26, respectively. Integral with the gears are complementary sections, 29 and 30, respectively, which form a cup -shaped depositor when in closed position, as shown in Fig. 3. A resilient member, sucli as a spring, 31, extends from trunnion 23, 'around trunnion 24, and has sliding connection, asat 32, with section 30 of the depositor, The object of this spring is to cause gear 26 to rotate in one direction when said spring is released, and

gear 25 in the opposite direction, thus opening the depositor, 20. The gear, 26, has rigidly connected thereto a cam rod, 33, which is bent, as at 34, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

The matter thus far described is for the purpose of depositing or delivering to the sorting element of tlie machine one piece of fruit at a time.

The sorting element of the machine is generally shown at 35, and comprises a' table, 36, rotatably mounted upon a driven shaft, 37, supported by a ballbearing, 38, carried by the frame, 10. A spur gear, 39, is rigid with shaft 37, and engages the worm, 40, carried by the shaft, 41, which is driven by pulley, 42. This gives the steady rotation of the table necessary to the proper sorting of the fruit. It is immaterial how the pulley, 42, is driven. I

The fruit is separated according to weight, by means of a number of dropper units distributedabout wheel 36. As the units are identical, but one will be described. There is pivotally mounted upon each of the supporters, 43, carried by rotating table, 36, a lever, ,44, pivoted at 45, and having its outer armvending in forked members having the form of a semi-circle, as at 46, Fig. 4. Each end of the semi-circular arm has i pivoted thereto a link, 47, and to the bottom of each of these links is pivoted one side of a dropper bucket, shown at 48. This bucket, which receives the fruit from the depositor, may be of any form and is shown conical for convenience. As the buckets all weigh the same, the weight of the bucket and its contained fruit will vary according to the weight of the contained ruit. Fruits vary in size approximately according to weight, and this invention aims to assort the different sizes of fruit by means of their weight. As the table rotates, some means must be provided for holding the dropper bucket and contents in raised position until they have been moved to the proper position for dumping the fruit and this means must change as the table rotates, to accountv for the different weights of the fruits handled -sorting operation. The method of varying this pressure in the machine shown in the drawings, is to provide a removable beam,

50, having a notch, 5l, in one end to be received by a slot, 52, ormedin the top of an inner ring, 53, carried-by the table. .-Cl he slot prevents lateral movement of the adjacent end of the' beam, 50, while the notch prevents longitudinal or inward movement toward the center of rotation. The outer end of beam, 50, is notched, as at 54, and is received by slots, 55, formed in an outer ring, 56, carried by the rotating table. These slots 55, prevent lateral movement of the adjacent end of the'beam, 50, and it will thus be seen thatfthe beam is always heldin position to engage arm, 49'. ,f

As shown in Fig. 6 the beam', 50, comprises two parallel spaced bars, 58 and 59, respectively, held together-by blocks, 60 and 61, adjacent rings 53 and 56 respectively. These blocks serve as a reinforcement to the beam at thefpoints which receive their respective rings. l/Veight 57 is movably mounted upon the beam and comprises two parallel side plates which engage the bars and a central guide whichrlies between the bars, 58 and 59, respectively. While this particular construction of weight has been shown, yet any form of weight may be em-V ployed when the pressure already mentioned is to be varied by means of weights.

Coming now to the means for varying the pressure, it will be seen from Figs. l, 2, and 5, that a cam track G4, is employed and supported by brackets, G5, secured to the frame of the machine. This cam has a number of dwells indicated at 66, 67, 68 and 69, respectively, each of which is of less radius than the preceding dwell. Upstanding from weight, 57, is a friction rod, 70, the upper -end of which engages the cam, 64. The

cam, 64', is stationary, while the weight, 57,

lt is, therefore, apparent that as the table rotates from starting position, the weight will remain in outermost position for part of the revolution, after which the cam, 64, will force rod, 70, a'nd Weight, 57, inwardly nearer the center of rotation and nearer the fulcrum of the lever 50, which is the notch, 5l. The table willrotate farther with the weight in this new position, after which the weight will -be given another inward movement, and so on, until the rod, 70, is in engagement with the last dwell, 69, lin the machine illustrated.

Itis apparentthatas the weight moves' in wardly the downward pressure of the outer end of the beam will diminish and hence,

Whenever the 48, and its contained the fruit and the arm, 49V, will be raised.

' Of course, the lightest pieces of fruit will not be sufficient to ov'erbalance the down- Yward pressure of the beam until the dwell -of least radius has been reached, while the heaviest fruit will be able to overcome it at will engagea stop y the same to vio ' as. canvas ymoved. longitudinally of the beam,

the first dwell. It is easily understood that the grades between the heaviest and the lightest will drop off as the Weight arrives atthe various dwells between that of the r`greatest and least radius. Convenient means are providedl tohold the sorted fruit, such bags, one being provided for each dwell of cam 64. When the dropper falls, an eXtension,-7l, rigid with its inner end 7 2 onthe table and supthe inner end of the dropper. By reaport y.son of the link, 47 however, the outer end of the member, 48, can drop to a point where the contained fruit can roll out. p

After all of the fruit has been deposited, the arm, 49`, will be in raised position, and

in order' toV restore "it Vton normal position tthere 1s provided a cam 74 supported by means of brackets 73, the upper part of the cam facebeing designed to vengage the said arm, 49, when in raised position and causing be lowered as the table continues to rotate. Snap catch, 79, is pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the arm, 50,

to prevent upward movement of'arm, 49, after the latter has/been depressed by cam 74. 'It will be apparent, of course, that the last dwell 69 of cam, 64, must have been passed before the cam 74 comes into operation. It is also necessary to move the weight frompits innermost position to its outermost position before the dropper will be ready to receive another piece of fruit.

kThis is done by employing a resetting cam,`

75, whichV stands between the ends of the cam track 64, about as shown in Fig. l. Cam 64 engages the face of friction rod, 70,

yremote from the center of rotation of the table, whereas, cam 75 engages face of the rod adjacent the center of rotation. As the table continues to rotate, thev weightv is 50,'to its VYoutermost-p'osition. Of course, so far as 'sorting fruit is concerned, the machine is idle while thel weights are being reset or returned and the arms, 49, are being depressed,

as reviously described; therefore, cams 72 and) 7 5 should be made to do their work in as small a fraction of the rotation of the table,

*36, as ispracticable.

` The means' foroperating the previously Y Vdescribed'fruit depoisitor so that the fruit is .Y deposited only when the dropper bucket, is

belowthe depositor cup will now be depositor.

lto engage the 4come to rest.

scribed. Rising from the table 1s `a trip finger, 76, of suiiicient height to engage cam rod, 33, seen in Figs. 3 and 4. There is one of these fingers for each dropper48- Then the buckets, 48, arrives under the depositor.

As the unevenness of the fruit makes its delivery by conveyer belt, 13, uncertain, the depositor cup sections must be closed quickly before another piece of fruit has had timeJ to fall into said depositor. This is doneby having the fingers, 76, placed about theperiphery of table, 36, so that as soon as the deposito-r has been released by oneof them the following finger will almost immediately engage bent part of cam rod, 33, as at 34, to start the closing of the depositor against Ythe action of spring 3l.. By having the bent portion, 34, close to gear 26, the sections 29 and 30 can be brought almost to closed position in a very short time. Thereafter, the cam rod, 33, will be held against the finger 76, byspring 3l, and during the time that is required for the next finger to pass from the bent portion of cam rod, 33, to the end of 'said -cam rod, 33, the fruit is forwarded from the conveying belt, 13, through the chute, 16, into guide 18,`and down to the deone piece of fruit is delivered from the' conveying belt each time a new dropper bucket arrives under the depositor. Y

As the fruit drops from the depositor into the dropper bucket, its inertia will naturally give a greater upward pressurento arm', 49, than would be the oase after the fruit comes to rest, yand in order to prevent the accidental discharge of the fruit by reason of this4 impact, the cam 74 is made long enough arm', 49, until the fruit has lf this be not resorted to,`a supporting skid, 77, may be provided to en* gage the extension, 78, formed on the outer end of the bucket, 48,while the inner end has an extension 7l supported by stop'72 on the table. As'seen in Figs. 1 and 2, .this skid, 77 can be formed with a rising surface so as to raise the dropper, 48, sufficiently to take the weight oli' oflever 44. This last named eX- pedient can be resorted to either independently ofr cam, 74, or in yconjunction therewith, but when employed it serves as means for sustaining the dropper until the supporting lever mechanism thereof is tripped and the dropper descends, and then it serves as means for tilting the dropper-and thus dumping its contents.

1. A fruit assorting machine comprising a conveyer including a guide through which the pieces of fruit are fed, a depositor beneath said guide, a moving dropper adapted to pass under said depositor, means for opening the depositor to drop a piece of fruit into-the subjacent dropper, and means for permitting the descent of the dropper and the delivery of the piece of fruit therein at one of several later points according to the Weight of such piece. f

2. A fruit assorting machine comprising a moving element, a series of droppers cairied by such element, a depositor for delivering pieces of fruit to the droppers at a certain point, means actuated by said element for opening the depositor at said point,

and means at successively later points according tothe weight of the fruit for caus-l ing the' dumping of the droppers.

3. `A fruit assorting machine comprising a conveyer including a belt, a chute, and a guide through which the pieces of fruit are fed singly, a depositor beneath said guide, ai moving element, a series of droppers thereon adapted to pass successiyely under said depositor, means for opening the depositor at intervals, and sorting mechanism for causing the delivery of pieces of fruit of different weight at different points.

4. A fruit assorting machine comprising a conveyer including a belt and a guide through which the pieces of fruit are fed singly, a depositor beneath said guide, a moving element, a series of droppers pivotally supported thereby and adapted to pass .successively under said depositor, means for opening the depositor at intervals, means beneath said depositor for preventing the tilting of the subjacent dropper, and sorting mechanism 'for causing the droppers to deliver pieces of fruit of diierentweight at different points.

5. A fruit assorting machine comprising a depositor to vvhich the pieces of fruit are fed singly, a, moving element, a series of droppers carriedthereby and adapted to under saidv depositor, means for opening the depositor at times to drop a piece of fruit into the subjacent dropper, means for sustaining said dropper '/t this pfintfiheansN-for permitting the descent of the dropper at later points according to theweight of the piece of fruit therein, and means for tilting said droppery as it descends.

6. A -fruit `asserting machine comprising a moving element, a series of pivotally supported dro pers carried by such element, a

two part opositorT means to automatically open its parts for delivering pieces of fruit l tothe droppers ata certain point, means at this point for sustaining the droppers as they receive the impact of the falling fruit, l

pivoted in the table and Whose outer arm carries said dropper, a beam pivoted in the table a'nd having one end weighted and overlying the inner lever-arm for oveibalancing la movable table, a fruit dropper, a lever the dropper and holding the same against dumping, and means to lighten said end as the table moves, so that the dropper may dump.

9. A fruit asserting .machine comprising`I a rotating table, a fruit dropper, a lever carrying it'and pivoted in the table., abeam pivotedr in the. table above' the lever, a Weight thereon overbalancing the dropper, and means. 'to change the position of the Weight on the Abeam as the table rotates.

` 10. Afruitiassorting machine comprising a rotating table, a fruit dropper carried thereby, a weighted beam restraining the dropper against descending, means to re-4 duce the restraining force as the table rotates, and means to dump the dropper as it descends.

. 11. A fruit assorting machine comprising a Irotating table, a'fruit dropper carried thereby, a beam, a weight mounted upon the beam and overbalancing the dropper and restraining the same against dumping, and a cam engaging the ,weight and having dwells at ldifferent distances from the center of the table to move the weight along thev lever at predetermined intervals as the table rotates.

12. A vfruit assortin-g machine comprising .a rotating table, a fruit dropper carried thereby, a beam pivotally connected to the table and overlying tlie dropper, a weight mounted on the beam and overbalancing the dropper `to preventv .dumpingof the latter, `a

rod on thelweight, and a fixed cam in operative connection with the rod, adaptedv toV move the weight as the table rotates, to a point where the Weight will be overbalanced by the dropper and contained fruit.

13. A fruit assorting machine comprising a rotating table, a fruit dropper carried thereby, a ring mounted upon the table, a

beam pivoted to the. table and overlying said ring and in operative'connectionvith am-.f aber. he .table .eatngnitli and s adapted.. al Trotatemvto a,

,ff-rmt; sV gnlachi-nefcompris io aiiiotatmgztabie;asritf'dropperrcarried on ,j the. periplie 1; ,the'ieof, a f lever. operatively connected tothe dropper andextendingjim Wardly of thetablmapair of ringson the 'tableihaving' upright slots, Y a beam having notches engaging said slots and its outer` entl overlying vthe innerend of 'said lever, a Weight 4carri-edlby the lever, and adapted to overbalance the dropper and contained fruit in one position, and an overheadcam to 2o moveithe'- weightinivardly as the tablero- 'tates to a position Where the Weight'vvil-l be overbalancedv by the dropper and thefruit containedv therein. f f -15';. A)ruit asserting machine 'comprising a-rotating table, a fruit dropperv mounti edA upon the periphery thereof, a. -pair 4of rings on the table concentric with its axis, ali-beam Apivoted-at'its inner end to the inner lring and overlying the outer `ring,jits outerend being connected operatively to rthe '-dropper,1 ai Weight mounted upon the lev'e'r E'etvveenfthe rings and overhalancing the dropperiin one position, and means to move' the vrvvight.ton'fard'the inner ring as B5 the-"table rotates tol a` position Where the Weight Will be overbalaneed` by the dropper andcontained fruit i 151.6."11 fruit` lasserting machine comprising arotatingl table, a pivotally mounted lever thereon, a fruit dropper carried by one arm -Vo'f `the lever, a pair 'of rings 'onth'e table, abeamipivoted at its inner end-in the inner-ring and-` h'aving a notchjin its'loWer dgeengagingthe outer ring, the'outer end of the-beatriz overlying the inner end ofy said lever, a Weight slidable on the beam between sfai'dvrings and serving in one position to overbalanc'eT the dropper, and means'to move the'Weightas` theftable rotates to a position' Where' the Weight Willlbe -overbal'ancedby .4 the-droppnj.. 1i 1 17. A ruitqassort'ing machine 'compris'-v ing a rotary table, -a'ever'pivotally mounted therein, atruidropper carried by' one armtliereoffabean pivoted' in. the table and having an 'arm t ereof engaging the other arm s'of vthe -le'veija Weight` slidably mounted upon -thebeam and havingran' up# right "rod, and fa' Xed 'cam fvvith'lwhic'h 4said r'od'fengagesl to move the Weight.' toward-the.

of Which overlies the arm of the lever, a Weight; slidablyw'monnted upon .the beam, and a.- fixed; cam4 -toemove` the .Weigh-ti along the beamis the-table-frotateslr '.g 19. rnitfA asserting. machine I' compris.- ing` a .fiXedf ,guidep-aV depositor .under the guide, `means: tos.` open `:the: dep Ositor. ,1a-ti interel ik:

valsya movingelement, aseries rof droppers.

each including a bucket adaptedfto pass under thefdepositor `and* lever; mechanism mountedon` said5elemnt .orfpivotallyffsupporting-the-- bucket, means for tripping said lever. mechanism at' later points according to the YWeight ofthe 'r'nitbeing sorted',- and a, `stopson :said element under z the i inner end of.the'.buclretA for causing. it toitilt als Vit I descendsy 20.11Arit-wassorting. machine compris-'f mg a depositor, means to open it at inter? vals, .a rotaryftable, Larseriess'o dropp'ers mcluding buckets'f adapted to' PaSSIunder the depositorand-lever mechanism ymonntedon said table fior-pivotally supporting the .buck- 'ets, meansvoratripping said lever mechas nsmvat successi-velylater points according to the Weight of the fruit being sorted,` 'exe tensions at. thelinner .and' `outer' vendsf'of' Vthe buckets, the former overlying saidy tablon-nd causingi .the :tilting: of thei buckets' astheyfy descend, and-'an inclined-*skid underlying the onterlezrtension:andlocatedl opposite the point -vvhere each1 'fbuclnetreceivesiits,piecev`1 of fruitfrom.'theydepositorri "5.54 215A iruitass'orting machi e compris. mg a rotary table, a series of oppers cari verv pivfjtally supported von tlfiefta'blef` and having its outer'arm forked-,-A bucket linked.r to the extremities of theforkgineansorl api-'f prying-pressure' 'to thev inner"arniotV the?A leverffand meansffor'varying-the' pressurel Y 22. A fruit asserting :mae'hinei 'comprise ing a rotatingtable, axle'ver pivotally 235 5 iffruit assert-ingmachinecomprising a rotating table., a.piv'otallygmountednlever on fthe table, ia @mit 'dropper carried by one arm -of theieven fvf'beam 4mov'ably mounted" inthe table and one end of whichoverlies the other arm of the lever, pressure means' connected to the beam to overbalance the dropper, means to vary the pressure so that the, weightl of the dumping member and contained fruit will overbalance the said pressure, and means to guide the beam as 1t moves. l v

24. A fruit asserting machine comprising a rotating table, a pivotally mounted lever mountedon the table, a fruit dropper carried by one arm of the lever, a beam, means to mount said beam for bodily removal, one end ofthe beam overlying the other arm of the lever, means to create pressure between said overlying end and arm, and

means toV vary the pressure as the table rotates.

25. A'y fruit assorting machine comprising a rotating table, al ,fruit dropper carried"thereon, means to dump'the dropper 'as the table -i-otates, a two-part fruit Idepositor, and meansfto open the parts ofv ,fthe depositor when thedropper arrives thereunder. 26. A fruit assorting machine compmsmg a rotating table, a fruit dropper carried thereby, means todump said dropper as the table rotates, a depositor above the path of. .the,dropper a rod for closing the depositor and means adapted to engage the rod yand hold the depositor in inoperative v position until the dropper arrives under the deposltor.

A- 'fruit asserting machine comprising a rotating table, a fruit dropper car ,ried thereby, means to dump the dropper as v the table rotatesa depositor, means to hold 'the depositor substantially closed until the dropper arrives thereunder, and lmeans to open lthe depositor as the dropper varrives under the sa1d depositor.

28. A fruit asserting ,machine comprising a rotating table, a fruit dropper car- .mediate ,the conveyer ,and

ried thereby, a conveyer, a de ositor interropper, and means to hold the depositor closed until 4the il dropper arrives thereunder.

29. A fruit assortin machine comprisin al rotating table, a rui-t dropper' carrie thereby, a lever pivotally mounted upon thetv'able having one arm thereof connected tothe dropper, meansto restrain thedropper a'nd lever against downwardvmovement during part of the revolution of the table,

means to release the restraining lmeans from the dropper Aas thetable rotates, causing the arm remote from the :dropper to rise, vand a fixed camzto depresssaid 'arm' of thelever' as the table continues to rotate.

230. A fruit assorting machine ,comprising a -rotating table, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, afruit droppervcarried by .one arm of the-lever, means to lower .said arm and dump the dropper as the table L of com lementary members' .bination with a rotary standin v rotates, means to raise-said arm and dropper as thetable rotates farther, a :catch to hold the parts in such last position, a skidto take the weight of the dropper fromthe first arm when raised, land means toautomatically deposit a, piece of fruit in the dropper when the latter is so supported.

31.- A fruit-assorting machine comprising' a 'rotating table, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, a fruit dropper carried by one arm of the lever, means to .lower said arm anddropper as' the table rotates,rmeans to raisesaid arm and dropper as the table rotates farther, a s kid'to take' the'weight of the dropper from the first arm of the lever when "raised and means to deposit a piecev of fruitvin the dropper when the latter is so supported.

32. A fruit assorting machine comprisin a rotating table, a lever pivotally mounte on the'table, a fruit dropper carried by one arm of the lever, means to dump the dropper as the table rotates, a cam adapted to engage the vother arm and raise the dropf per, a depositor, and means on the table to open such depositor and cause-it to deposit fruit in the dropper while the said other 'arm is still in engagement with the cam.'

33. A '.fruitassortin-g machine compris.4

ing a rotating table, 2a lever pivotally mounted thereon, a'dropperpivotally connected toone arm of the lever, means to lower said arm and dropper as the table ro'- tates, a cam adapted to engage the other arm 4of the lever whenin'ralsed position to lower the same and raise the rst arm and dropper, a skid to support one end othe dropper, and .a sto on the table to support the other end of t e dropper when the' latter has beenV raised,y and to take the weight thereoffrom the first arm ofthe lever. Y

ing a, rotating table, m'ountedl thereon, a fruit dropper carried by the lever, means to hold the lever in normal' position during part of the revolution vof the table, means to release the lever as 34. A fruit assortingmachine comprisp ,a lever pivotally i the table rotates farther, and means on the rising vra pair he cam vrod to close and 4open respectively the two members.

. ieu gears, oney rigid 'wit 12o riphe a series o rock levers iu'voted tlliretofgopj-` per buckets carried J1 'y theiry outer, arms, 180'A Weightedv beams overlying their inner arms, and means for shifting the Weight` on said beams; or' a two-part depositor overlying the path of said buckets at a certain point, a support on which its parts are pivotally mounted, intermeshing gears on the parts, a spring holding them normally open, and a bent cam rod on one gear engaged by said fingers to close the parts as the buckets pass successively beneath them.

3T. In a fruit assorting machine, the combination with a rotary table having upstanding fingers around its periphery, a series of rock levers pivoted thereto, dropper buckets carried by their outer arms, Weighted beams overlying their inner arms, and means for shifting the Weight on said beams; of cams above said inner arms for resetting the rock levers after they have been tripped, catches on said beams engaging the inner extremities of said levers when so reset, a two-part depositor overlying the path of said buckets at a certain point, means for normally opening its parts, a cam rod actuated by each passing linger to close said parts as 'a bucket passes from beneath the depositor, and means for feeding pieces of fruit successively into the depositor.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK XV. DUSTAN.

lVitnesses FLETCHER Dono, lV. H. .VAKEFIELD.

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents cach, by addressing the Commissioner yof Patents, Washington, D. C. 

